Aww, thanks! :) I've had the occasional thought of making little-kid aprons (my own pattern - at least, so hugely adapted from the original that I'm pretty sure it's "mine") to sell at the shop on the apple orchard, where we live. Our landlord's father runs it and it mostly sells fruit, with some homegrown veggies and apple juice. I thought maybe if I made apple-themed aprons, they'd agree to put a few up for sale. But I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Other than that, no. :p I don't have enough time to sew all the things I want for us, let alone everyone else! (Not to mention, y'know, cleaning and cooking and educating the kidling and all that jazz....) I really need to make some clothes for myself, but with Christmas coming up I'm way behind on kid sewing... arrgh. Plus, most of the clothes I make these days are Ottobre, and they're quite strict about not selling stuff made with their patterns. I adapt some of their patterns, but it's a fuzzy line... And yeah, they're not that professional-looking close up. I often zigzag seams to finish them, because I don't have a serger - it's fine for home clothes, but looks a bit "homemade" for bought ones, you know?

Still, I am ridiculously proud of myself when I complete a wearable, attractive garment. I was so awful at sewing as a teenager - it was my sister's thing - that I still marvel I can sew a straight seam without disaster! My mother is equally taken aback - she tends to say "That looks nice!" with an air of stunned surprise. Flattering. :)

I traced patterns for salior shorts in two sizes, the sailor dress and DS' sailor top recently, so I can get started on those soon. And we're going away for our FIRST EVER! family holiday in a few weeks, and I'd love to sew myself something decent to wear... I have this terrible mental block about sewing clothes for me. Partly it's mummy martyrdom ("but I still haven't made DD's Cinderella dress for Christmas!"), partly it's perfectionism (because if I don't achieve something that perfectly expresses me, is breastfeeding-friendly, flattering, "my" colour, a bit retro, a bit military, ModClothy but higher quality, and in all other ways awesome, I may as well just run a hot bath and slice open a large vein, amirite?)... and partly it's a deathly fear of wasting vast quantities of fabric. That's the great thing about baby clothes. You can only destroy fabric half a metre at a time. :p

Even still, you should totally sell aprons at the orchard shop - talk to them! I hear you about the serger - I want one with my whole heart, and like to think I am the type of person who would sew immense amounts of things on a daily basis if only I had a serger. And the part I bolded above is 100% of the reason I've never attempted to sew anything more involved than a gardening apron for myself. :-)

Apartment Farm - the chronicles of my cooking, gardening, crafting and other such things.

You all definitely NEED a serger- I can't believe I lived without it for so long. I couldn't justify $600 for one though- so I bought a barely used second hand one for $200. It was a steal. I love it but still need to rearrange my sewing room for it. I don't use it nearly as often as I would like since I have to move my sewing machine to put it there. Which is dumb to do for a little seam you know? But it has opened up the wonderful world of knit to me- which I hated before!

Iowaorganic- mama to DD (1/5/06), DS1 (4/9/07), DS2 (1/22/09), DS3 (12/10/10), DD2 (7/6/12) and a new kid due in early 2014

okay i finally finished my 2nd version of a mei-tai today, which is still not quite how i want it (with still wider straps and more padding), but much better than the 1st. It's black with LONG straps and red canvas on the other side of the panel, so is reversible for holiday festivity. and now i need to make some things for a secret santa sister in my ddc and get started on some minimal holiday gift sewing, including a stocking for the new member of our family who was born this year. i can't believe how few projects I have done this year, but I am okay with that. ;)

I haven't been around much lately. Nor have I been in a crafty type mood. I just started a nautical theme/color blanket tonight. Who knows when it will be done. Its crochet and ripple stitch. It could be a present for DS or for someone else.

Sadly all my yarn is stuck in Ohio and I'm in AZ. makes crafting difficult.

41/52: Dress for meeee! Apparently spelling out why I couldn't do it inspired me. :p It is not, by any means, perfect; but it's unique and has gotten a few compliments. I'd like to make a new and improved version when I get some more fabric.

42/52: Helped the friend of a friend... actually, the relative-by-marriage of an acquaintance... with a wedding cake.

43/52: "Invented" a pavlova for a pavlova competition. I'm giving myself a point for this, because I made about five versions of the darned thing. It was nice in the end - super-lemony, with a lemon-mascarpone topping, and flaked coconut pressed into the sides, and meringue triangles of lemon-coconut meringue arranged artily around the edges. I find out if I won today...

44/52: Made a denim "beast" stuffed with fabric scraps, for DH to use as a target (he has a recurve bow). I appliqued a heart, a bone and various organs on it, and he can also aim for the eyes or hair if he chooses. It was fun, and I didn't have to be super fussy because it was going to be shot up anyway. Might do a few more if I get time - goodness knows I have enough fabric scraps!

I did win the pavlova competition, incidentally. :p

Now off to sew a bit more of the Christmas tree skirt before I have to go see The Hobbit with my dad!

I knew you would win, Smokering. And the target beast sounds like a fun project! Incidentally, my ds just came in and I showed him your avatar of Princess Leaia and he informed me that is no picture of Princess Leia! If that picture is YOU, then you look like a movie star. I really have been thinking you were Princess Leia for years or however long you have been using that picture here.

Heather, is baby better? My baby was the fussiest baby I had yet, but I took him to the chiropractor and that was an attitude adjustment/ miracle. He went twice and is now Mr. Smiley Happy, thank God!

Happy Holidays everyone! I have been busy sewing; I have made quite a few things. But I don't think I will bother revisiting and trying to claim points for them now! I hope to start and finish 3 stockings today, for my 3 boys.

I knew you would win, Smokering. And the target beast sounds like a fun project! Incidentally, my ds just came in and I showed him your avatar of Princess Leaia and he informed me that is no picture of Princess Leia! If that picture is YOU, then you look like a movie star. I really have been thinking you were Princess Leia for years or however long you have been using that picture here.

LOL! No, your son is mistaken... that is indeed Mrs Solo. Sadly. Her crown braid is my favourite hairstyle, and I've always admired Leia, hence the avatar. I'm much less glamorous.

OK, so, counting...

45/52: Sailor suit for DS.

46/52: Sailor suit for my nephew.

47/52: Sailor shirt for my other nephew (I'd already made him the matching shorts for a birthday present).

48/52: Sailor dress for DD.

Yesterday we dressed all four cousins up in their sailor gear, went to the beach and took photos. Hopefully we can get some done into little albums in time for Christmas... um, maybe. Doesn't seem likely now I think about it, does it? Christmas Eve is TOMORROW! Yikes.

Currently I'm frantically working on DD's Cinderella dress. I've pared down her Christmas list considerably, but I still need to do the Cinderella dress (with matching choker and headband), a few more clothes for her Waldorf doll, and lots more cutouts for her felt flannelgraph board thing.

And I really would like to get the Christmas tree skirt finished before Christmas Day!

Kitchen queen- some years are just like that and it is ok. I need a craft room cleaning challenge. Desparately. I need to clean and organize my way through 2013... It is bad- really bad. I stash way too much away for something someday.

Iowaorganic- mama to DD (1/5/06), DS1 (4/9/07), DS2 (1/22/09), DS3 (12/10/10), DD2 (7/6/12) and a new kid due in early 2014

I have no idea what my tally is- but I do know I made it this year. I spent my night hemming the kids' new jeans and pjs. Apparently my kids are short and stocky and I hate ratty jeans. I also figured out how to near invisibly patch a pair of designer jeans. My mom is a seamstress at a high end store and told me how she does it there and guess what? It works! No horizontal line is the key- lots of verticals to keep the patch in place- but no horizontal!

I still need a good clean out on my craft room with some serious organization in 2013. It will have to be after I get our taxes done though I guess. That is going to be my new priority.

Iowaorganic- mama to DD (1/5/06), DS1 (4/9/07), DS2 (1/22/09), DS3 (12/10/10), DD2 (7/6/12) and a new kid due in early 2014

I was awful at keeping track, but I made A LOT of things this year! If we do it in 2013, I'll try to keep better track :D

This was my final (or almost final as I sit down to do a few more things this week....) project.

It was this to start out with (there were two of the nightstands on the right). I added no additional wood, just paint, hinges, pulls, and some fabric I already had on hand. Then thrifted for the pots and pans and other items. Bought new some child sized wooden spoons and tongs.

It's really tiny, toddler sized. Here is my 32" tall 18 mo old on his tippy toes. Got the table and toys on top from Ikea. He LOVED it all!

~Mama to my boys~ to a teen, a tween & a toddler and surro-mama to twins and their sister

Momsteader- that is an awesome play kitchen. One of our friends is kind of a woodworker and made one for DD1 one year as MY present :) He asked me for dimensions and I told him wrong! It is beautiful and oak and completely gorgeous and way way too tall. I felt like a compete moron. In fact I still do. My SIL saw it and commented on it and said DD could have had hers from when she was little (not that fab but still cute). Well now that I have 2 DDs- I think I will paint SIL's for DD2 and DD1 finally fits hers.... random I know.

34me- I have to make a couple more of those ruffle scarves yet for my sister- good thing they are so quick!

Iowaorganic- mama to DD (1/5/06), DS1 (4/9/07), DS2 (1/22/09), DS3 (12/10/10), DD2 (7/6/12) and a new kid due in early 2014

wow, nice play kitchen. we made a range last year and I have one of the same nightstands that you used we thought we would use for a sink/pantry, but we didn't do it for christmas this year as our play room is over crowded!

It seems i have my own lovely tradition of nicely cleaning my sewing room (and finishing projects) at the end of the year. I am about halfway done on the cleaning in there and I just popped in here to start adding points, as I will need them if I am to break even wth the 52 goal this year! I just finished 3 skirts for me, all of which had been waiting unfinished mostly for hems. One was a gorgeous thing I found at the thrift store (maybe LAST year!) that I have shortened and redone to wear to my new year party, and the other two are winter skirts I can wear now, one is long and one is from a patterned corduroy.

So +3

Then, I had some points from Christmas, although I made very little handmade this year, other than treats. Let's see, I had 1 for an infinity scarf for my sister, 1 for a purse for a niece, 1 for some bath salts for cousins etc, 1 for a turquoise bracelet and earrings for my mom, 1 for 2 travel bags (shoes and heatproof padded flat iron bag) for my mom...wow, that was it for sewing for Christmas! - oh, and for a secret santa sister swap...2 pts for 3 bags, 1 pt for a blanket, 1 pt for a new design (and execution) of a long necklace made from jersey knit, another +1 for a different long necklace and a bracelet....also +1 for several hot pink heart shaped lavender sachets...and +1 for an extra large set of flannel christmas napkins for the teacher.

ha, i got 2 more: i finished some patchworked, lined, HUGE pants, and a precious flannel baby blanket for my stock, as I have committed to doing some craft shows this year. I went back and tried to count my points this thread, but i sure was counting them funny early this year! Counting objects made, not counting the baby, and with no extras for upcycling and deleting the garden points, I think I am at about 45 right now, so not too far off after all! lol I love this thread, ladies; i'm glad to still be coming back to mdc for this (and treasure mapping, too ;) ).

I know it is the last day of the year- but I would like to finish up a couple projects today.... My DD1's bday is Saturday- I am working on a prairie dress and apron for her, an American girl (her version of Captain America) costume, and a half apron for her for cooking. I would also like to finish an apron for one of my girlfriends. I also would like to come up with some sort of little camera case for myself...

If I could get all that done I would like to make DD a cowgirl shirt too... I am ordering her a fancy western one but I have some super cute cuddly flannel for a matching shirt and vest..

My taxes are almost done- so I can breathe a little easier now :)

Iowaorganic- mama to DD (1/5/06), DS1 (4/9/07), DS2 (1/22/09), DS3 (12/10/10), DD2 (7/6/12) and a new kid due in early 2014

Well, I got 51/52 done yesterday: a shirt for DS. I knew I wouldn't be able to get DD's Cinderella dress done by midnight and I wanted to hit 52, so I started making a little baby-girl pinafore for a friend... but then I had other stuff to do and didn't finish it. And now it's January 1. Darn. The annoying thing is, if I counted differently I could totally be beyond 52... like if I put the sailor shirts and shorts as separate items. :p Oh well!

At any rate, I kind of cheated... when I started the year, the idea was to finish already-begun projects, not make new ones. I did finish a few, but honestly, my to-be-finished pile isn't noticeably smaller. Maybe this year...!

Yeah. we got a puppy today... so it has been chaos. I knit for awhile while DD did school- but mostly it was rescuing the puppy from little boys and picking up our house so the puppy doesn't eat crayons....

Iowaorganic- mama to DD (1/5/06), DS1 (4/9/07), DS2 (1/22/09), DS3 (12/10/10), DD2 (7/6/12) and a new kid due in early 2014